Additional $300 Weekly Unemployment Checks to End as Soon as Next Week
The additional $300 weekly unemployment checks given to Americans who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic might end as soon as next week.
This because the $44 billion federal funding for the additional unemployment benefit is about to run out.
After the stimulus check of $600 ended back in July and with the second stimulus check still in limbo, President Donald Trump had signed a memorandum on August 8.
The memo provided an additional $300 weekly unemployment checks to the unemployed Americans. This is on top of regular unemployment benefits.
Trump signed the memorandum when it became clear that it would take time for the Congress to reach a deal for a second stimulus check.
However, the $44 billion that Trump allocated for the additional $300 weekly unemployment checks from the Federal Emergency Management Agency is about to dry up soon.
According to a report on Yahoo, the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget was expecting the federal budget to last only until the week ending on August 29.
Although the budget has lasted longer than that, Arizona, the first state to distribute the additional $300 weekly unemployment checks, is now preparing for the checks to end until the week ending on September 12.
FEMA, though, has not yet announced until when the funds will run out.
There is also no guarantee that Trump will be able to bypass Congress for additional funding once again.
FEMA stated that those states that have been approved to give out the additional $300 weekly unemployment checks would have at least three weeks covered from the federal fund.
Some 45 states, including Arizona, have been approved to send out the enhanced checks.
However, only six states have started handing out the additional $300 weekly unemployment checks, according to Market Watch.
While no state who has applied for the FEMA grant has been rejected, South Dakota said they would not avail of the enhanced check.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem said that they would not be applying for the additional $300 weekly unemployment checks because her state is fortunate enough not to need the grant.
Noem said that her administration is grateful for the additional flexibility, but there is no need to receive it.
South Dakota has already recovered about 80 percent of its job losses, especially since their economy was never shut down.
Unlike the stimulus check of $600, not all unemployed Americans are eligible to receive the additional $300 weekly unemployment checks.
The reason for that is because unemployed Americans who get less than $100 in state benefits are not enough to trigger the state to get the federal funds, according to an article of USA Today.
Some Americans are upset that Congress went into recess until the Labor Day without deciding on the second stimulus checks.
And, they are blaming both Republicans and Democrats for that.
Should the additional $300 weekly unemployment checks dry up, Americans would next hope that second stimulus checks will soon be on the way. Otherwise, they would go hungry and homeless.
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